It is well known to provide consoles in motor vehicles that have storage compartments integrated therein. Such storage consoles are often located in between a front driver's seat and a front passenger's seat of the vehicle, but such consoles may be positioned in various other locations throughout the vehicle. Central to vehicle console design is the requirement that meaningful storage options be provided to the users of the vehicle. In pursuit of this goal, vehicle designers have proposed a vast array of designs for console storage compartments, including console storage compartments that may be reconfigured by the user to suit their specific needs.
Providing a console having a storage compartment that is reconfigurable presents some unique challenges. The reconfigurable elements must be easily repositionable by the user, but, at the same time, must be secured firmly in place. Firm securement of the moveable components ensures that they do not become inadvertently dislodged. Additionally, the presence of squeak and rattle noise within the vehicle should be minimized. Balancing these competing design goals while at the same time providing meaningful storage options for the user has proven difficult, and past designs have met varying degrees of success.
Need remains for improvement in the field of console storage retention structures.